Resilience

So I have been studying the word resilience or being resilient. I was recently invited to read a talk called, "Raising Resilient Children". Here is a link to read that talk, Resilience. I know, why would a sister missionary be reading a talk about raising children? That's the question I thought when I read the title. It didn't make sense. It didn't really add up. Well I read the talk, and it BLEW me away! Seriously. Powerful. Life changing. I know dramatic, but you don't know!  

I came to the conclusion that it was definitely inspired that I needed to read that talk. Brother Burrup defines, "The original definition of the word resilience had to do with a material’s ability to resume its shape or position after being bent, stretched, or compressed. Today we commonly use the word to describe our ability to bounce back from adversity." 

That is exactly what clicked in my mind. A lot of my life, I have had to bounce back. A trial hits and I must be able to keep moving towards God. I must turn to Him for help and strength to bare the burdens I am faced with. This picture of this tree real struck me. Even though it's bent a little, it's still RESILIENT to the wind. To the adversity, trials, and hard times. LIFE IS HARD. But there is a way. There is someone who can truly help us. Elder Neal A. Maxwell tells us,

"While so striving daily, we will fall short. Hence the avoidance of discouragement is so vital. So where is the oft and much needed resilience to be found? Once again, in the glorious Atonement! Thereby we can know the lifting tide flowing from forgiveness."(Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ.)
It's through the Atonement of Christ that we can be truly resilient. We can overcome the hard stuff. We can deal with it. Really deal with it. Not shove it away in some corner. I know this to be true. Every single one of us goes through different adversities. The one person who is the same is Christ. He is there. He's there to help us, so we don't get discouraged. He's there so that we can exercise faith in Him and face the hardships. Who said it would be easy? Why would it be? Eternal life is worth it. How can you be more resilient?

Trusting God

As we put our faith and trust in the Lord, we must battle our pain day by day and sometimes hour by hour, even moment by moment; but in the end, we understand that marvelous counsel given to the Prophet Joseph Smith as he struggled with his pain of feeling forgotten and isolated in Liberty Jail:

“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (D&C 121:7–8).

My dear brothers and sisters, when pain, tests, and trials come in life, draw near to the Savior. “Wait upon the Lord, … look for him” (Isa. 8:17; 2 Ne. 18:17). “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa. 40:31). Healing comes in the Lord’s time and the Lord’s way; be patient.

Our Savior waits for us to come to Him through our scripture study, pondering, and prayer to our Heavenly Father. Great blessings and lessons come from overcoming adversity. As we are strengthened and healed, we can then lift and strengthen others with our faith. May we be instruments in the Lord’s hands in blessing the lives of those in pain. I give you my testimony that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ and that He waits for us to come to Him to give us counsel and compassionate caring. May the Lord’s blessings be upon each of us as we deal with the trials of life for us personally and for our loved ones, I so pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

---Elder Robert D. Hales "Healing Soul and Body"

Covenants

"The Latter-day Saints are a covenant people. From the day of baptism through the spiritual milestones of our lives, we make promises with God and He makes promises with us. He always keeps His promises offered through His authorized servants, but it is the crucial test of our lives to see if we will make and keep our covenants with Him.”

--President Henry B. Erying “Witnesses for God,” Ensign, Nov. 1996

I testify that we must ALWAYS keep our covenants. We must use our agency and keep the covenants we have made to Him. Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience bring mighty miracles! 

What covenants have you made with your Father in Heaven? When was the last time you really thought about them? ...What can we all do to be better?

Answers

 

"Even if you have the strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, He will respond a piece at a time with what in His eternal plan is best for you. Your continuing exercise of faith will forge strength of character available to you in times of critical need. Such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is used." 

--Elder Richard G. Scott "Living a Life of Peace, Joy, and Purpose"

Women! Take Heed!

“The world has enough [men and] women who are tough; we need [men and] women who are tender. There are enough [of us] who are coarse; we need [men and] women who are kind. There are enough [men and] women who are rude; we need [men and] women who are refined. We have enough [men and] women of fame and fortune; we need more [men and] women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”1 And I would add, you are the people who will supply these virtues to a world that is very much in need. --Sister Kristen M. Oaks "To the Singles of the Church

True Conversion

"Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal."

(2 Nephi 9:39)

"Conversion requires consecrating our lives to caring for and serving others who need our help and to sharing our gifts and talents. The Lord didn’t say tend my sheep when it is convenient, watch my sheep when you aren’t busy. He said feed my sheep and my lambs; help them survive this world, keep them close to you. Lead them to safety--the safety of righteous choices that will prepare them for eternal life." --Elder Robert D. Hales ("When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren”)

Decisions, Decisions, and Decisions

"Neither Satan nor any other power can weaken or destroy your growing character. Only you can do that through disobedience. That is why Satan is so intently focused on tempting you to make decisions that will undermine your character. Satan is an accomplished master at making devastating choices appear attractive, even reasonable. So be careful. At this critical time of life, you will be faced with many choices. The decisions you will make will profoundly affect life now and for eternity. Make them wisely and prayerfully."
--Elder Richard G. Scott "Living a Life of Peace, Joy, and Purpose"